Sunday, June 2, 2013

PAA is at its finest when......

PAA is at its finest when....

Good morning, Dear Members,
There is much news to share.  So I will be writing two blogs this June -  but first, please mark your calendars for June, July and August.
June 10 - Board Mtg @ 400 Hamilton, PA
June 11 - Thora's Thimbles, Stephanie Beach's home 9:30 am. RSV
June 18 - General Mtg @ at Arrillaga Family Recreation Center 1-3:00pm
June 24-25 - RWH at Mythos, San Carlos
July 8 - Board Mtg @ 400 Hamilton, PA
July 9 - Thora's Thimbles, Stephanie Beach's home 9:30 am. RSVP
July 23-24 - RWH at Iron Gate, San Carlos
Aug 12 - Board Mtg @ 400 Hamilton, PA
Aug 13 - Thora's Thimbles, Stephanie Beach's home 9:30 am. RSVP
Aug 26-27 - RWH Scott's Seafood, Palo Alto

OUR LAST MEETING BEFORE THE SUMMER HIATUS:
On June 18th we have our very important general meeting at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center, 600Alma Street in Menlo Park. All of you had received copies of the Bylaws and Standing Rules changes before the May 21st meeting.  They were also presented at that meeting.  On June 18th we will take a vote on those changes.  A great deal of time and effort has been put into updating and refreshing our bylaws and standing rules to reflect who we are and what we do now.  All changes were done to make us "user friendly" and encourage new members. It is very important that you be there. We will be in the little Oak Room off the lovely patio from 1-3:00pm.  It is a full agenda since this is our last meeting before the summer hiatus. There is much to talk about.

KEVIN DANIE VISITS WITH US:
On May 21st Kevin Danie, the head teacher at Packard Children's in-house school visited with us. He spoke of how the school provides a public education at the primary, intermediate and secondary education levels not only for the patients but also for their siblings.  In so doing, they maintain a sense of normalcy in the patients' lives as well as assisting them with staying current in their school work. He is a delightful speaker and not only informed us of the many programs offered but also showed us how far reaching their program is - in that what they do is shared with other hospitals across the nation.






Those of us who were there thoroughly                                                                                  appreciated Kevin's presentation.  A small token                                    
representing a great big thank you to him was a                                                                                                                                                 
 certificate for dinner for two at the RwH of his
 choice and a copy of our  cookbook"Tastes, Tales and Traditions."





THE PACKARD PANTRY AFFILIATE
PAA, at its finest, unites the excitement of the new with the best of what has come before.  We have always had that ability to share memorable moments while embracing what comes next.  Coming next is this Packard Pantry project.  Yet another way to help the children.  It is not a fund raiser like our American Girl Event, Restaurants with Heart, Tastes,Tales and Traditions or the Holiday Boutique. But it is a worthy enough endeavor to join our "hands and hearts"projects.  Thora's Thimbles, Tote Bags and Teen Kits do not raise funds but fill such an important need for LPCH patients and staff.  This is also a project that involves all the auxiliaries, friends who may wish to help just once or twice and anyone from the community.

27 of us signed up to learn more about the Packard Pantry.  In my April Blog I gave you a description of what it was all about and we discussed it at the May meeting.  I will briefly reiterate a little of that to refresh your memory.  

Many of the very sick children at LPCH are here for a long time before and after any major surgery.  There are parents who have to take unpaid leave from work to be with their child and often have to bring their other children with them. Thus, incurring the added burden of travel expense, housing and meals.  We partnered with Second Harvest Food Bank to assemble bags of food to be given to those families identified by the LPCH social services department as being in need.

I attended the Volunteer Orientation meeting at Second Harvest.  The room was packed with people from all walks of life with one mutual reason to be there - to learn the policy and procedures of Second Harvest so they could bring food to very needy people and agencies.  I was so proud to be among so fine a group of people. You would have been as well had you been there.

Policies and procedures for 3 volunteer positions were developed and on May 9th, those of us involved with the planning,Toni Paterson, Victoria Applegate, Tara Quinn, Missy Ryan and I did the first trial run. It went very well. Of course, there is still some refinement and I would imagine with input from all of you, other improvements will be made as we go along.

May 23rd was the first run with Auxiliary members who were not involved with planning. I'm delighted to report that one of the two members first to sign up was our very own Kathy Squellati.  Anna Henderson, from Allied Arts Guild Auxiliary was the other.  Anna brought along her camera and graciously allowed me to use her photos.

Briefly, I will explain the 3 volunteer options.  You can sign up for once a year or twice or as often as you wish.  Also, other volunteers from auxiliaries, the community, or friends you know who want to help just once in awhile are more than welcome.  With an increase in numbers we should end up only having to volunteer once or twice a year!

This is such an easy, enjoyable way to meet new volunteers, the LPCH staff and to help these needy families.  We are not all as altruistic as we would like to be.  Yes, we want to help our patients and their families but a big part of our giving is that we feel so good in so doing.  This is truly a "feel good" project.

Our Packard Pantry days are the 2nd and 4th Thursday of each month.  Time commitment for all volunteer options is about two hours (not including travel time) 

 

PICK UP AND DELIVER volunteer option:                                    
At 9:00am you are to be at 2nd Harvest Food Bank in San Carlos to pick up our pre-ordered groceries,
You will "shop" in the warehouse for additional specified items.  At least one person in this group must have attended the Orientation Program which is a 1 hour meeting and tour at Second Harvest Food Bank. Our order will fit in one med-sized car.  The SHFB staff will help you load up.  Then off to LPCH to meet the volunteer "Packers"waiting for us at 10:00am with the little red wagons to help us unload and bring the food to the cafeteria. You are then free to leave.

PACKERS Volunteer option:
At 9:45am you will check in at the lobby information desk for security clearance photo. Proceed to the cafeteria to confirm that 4 tables have been reserved for us. Then return to the lobby at 10:00am to help the Pick Up and Deliver volunteers unload their car, place the foodstuffs in the red wagons and transport the items to the cafeteria. Place the food on the tables in an assembly line fashion.

There you will pack 15 2-person bags. At 11:00am you will call Social Services and inform them that the bags are ready for pick up. Remain with the bags until they come.  Then recycle boxes and dispose of trash.  Return wagons to the lobby and you are free to go feeling ever so good about what you have just accomplished.
                                                                               





PICK UP, DELIVER AND PACK  volunteer option:
(this includes both of the above options.)
 At 9:00am you are to be at 2nd Harvest Food Bank in San Carlos to pick up our pre-ordered groceries,You will "shop" in the warehouse for additional specified items.  At least one person in this group must have attended the Orientation Program which is a 1 hour meeting and tour at Second Harvest Food Bank. Our order will fit in one med-sized car. The SHFB staff will help you load up.
At 10:00am you will deliver the order to the front entrance at LPCH.  There you will be met by the "Packers"waiting for us at 10:00am with the little red wagons to help you unload.

Then go park your car and return to LPCH to pack the bags.  You must first check in at the lobby information desk and get your security clearance photo. Then proceed to the cafeteria to help assemble the bags.  Once completed, call social security. Wait until they come to pick up the bags. Recycle boxes and dispose of trash in nearby bins.  You are then free to go and feeling very good about what you have just accomplished.

TWO WAYS TO SIGN UP:

FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO SIGN UP ON LINE: 

Go to    http://associationofauxiliaries.ivolunteer.com/packardpantryaffiliate
the password is:  pantry

There are 3 signup tabs: 
1st tab is for those who wish PickUp (at Second Harvest Food Bank), Deliver to LPCH AND Pack the bags in the LPCH cafeteria. 
2nd tab is for those who only wish to Pick Up (at Second Harvest Food Bank) and Deliver the food to LPCH.
3rd tab is for those who only wish to Pack the food at LPCH.

ONLY SIGN UP UNDER ONE OF THOSE TABS ON THE DAY YOU PREFER TO WORK.
You can come back any day you wish and volunteer under other tabs but only one tab for each day.

Once you have signed up you will receive confirmation and the Volunteer Policy and more detailed information,

FOR THOSE WHO CANNOT SIGN UP ON LINE:

Please contact me at 650- 593-9334 or email me at luisapliska@comcast.net

Below are the scheduled Packard Pantry work dates - please choose your preferred day(s) and put it/them on your calendar:

May 23, Jun 13, No June 27 (Second Harvest Food Bank is closed for inventory) July 11,
July 25, August 8, August 22, Sept. 12, Sept. 26, Oct. 10, Oct. 24, Nov. 14, Nov.28, Dec.12

Dear members - because the Bylaws voting and this Packard Pantry information is so time-sensitive I had to make this blog rather long.  I am sorry.  However, I will be posting another June Blog (short one!) next week with more news for you.  We will also have project reports at the June 18th meeting at the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center.

Until then, thank you for all that you do, continue to do and do so well for PAA's contribution to the Children's Hospital.  

See you on the 18th.

Luisa






































 















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